Beauty and the Beast
by Aria6
Summary: Axel/Roxas! Roxas is a dancer looking for a patron. Axel is a rich patron looking to build a new theatre and make Roxas the star. But what secret is he hiding? Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Roxas regarded the note in his hand with a small frown.

Normally he would have cast it directly in the trash. Or a fireplace if there was one handy. It was an invitation to dinner, and while that was not uncommon, there was an unconscious arrogance in the wording. As though the inviter was doing him a favour!

_And he might be._ Roxas sighed to himself. He was a dancer, one of the few male ballet dancers at Sana Christiana. His wages were enough that if he were frugal, he could have lived a modest, middle-class existence. Compared to his expenses they were nothing. His last patron had unceremoniously ended their relationship just a week past. His wife had found out and flown into a rage. Not that her husband had a dancer on the side… that was taken almost for granted in their social strata… but that the dancer was a _man_. Roxas did not really understand it. What did it matter if the private parts her husband patronized were a bit different than her own? But apparently, it mattered to her. So there were no more lavish gifts, no more paid for rent. He needed a new patron.

Roxas picked up the envelope the note had come in, regarding the heavy pasteboard. It was stiff and tough, waxed to protect the contents. The seal was red wax, broken and scattered now. That told him little although the quality was good. The letter itself said more. Roxas ran a finger over the note, finally deciding that it had been written on fine vellum. The edges were bitten by gold, in little whirling designs that had been put there by hand. It was expensive but there were no identifying marks, no crests or watermarks.

All of his study had a purpose. The quality of paper and tone of the note might indicate a patron in the highest of social strata's, the kind of patron who did not wish to draw undue attention to himself. Roxas felt a thrill at the thought. Could he have attracted the attention of a duke? Or even… royalty? Roxas swallowed at the thought. Such attention had its perils…

More likely, though, he was being gulled. Any fool could buy fine paper. The arrogance of the letter might be the privilege of rank or it might be delusion. A _poseur_ would know the right phrases, after all. If this was nothing but an arrogant fool, Roxas did not want to meet him. Such men, with delusions of their place in the world, could be very difficult when reality was made plain to them. A little soloist had been murdered not long ago by such a man. And she had never even met him! Roxas had no intention of ending that way.

But there was a servant outside, taking tea with the cast and awaiting his reply. Roxas had taken a good look at his clothes and bearing, and that finally tipped the balance. Well clothed and well spoken, the man had the air of a superior servant. Any fool might purchase paper, but the services of such a servant were most expensive indeed. They were typically not available at all for short periods. So this must be a permanent servant, which indicated a fool with money at the least. Surely he could cage a few months rent out of such a man. Roxas picked up his own paper, much less fine than the note he'd received, and began penning a gracious acceptance of the invitation.

He would see tomorrow who this man really was.

* * *

><p>As soon as he entered the restaurant Roxas knew he'd made the correct decision.<p>

It was nothing too obvious. But the maître de was clearly looking for him and greeted him immediately, with a shade more respect than normal. He ushered Roxas into a plush, well-appointed private room and the blonde noticed several of the waitresses seemed quite excited, beneath their professional masks. Was he meeting a duke after all? But this restaurant often saw dukes and duchesses.

"Good evening." Ah. Roxas smiled warmly as he took a seat. The man across from him would have gladdened his gaze at any time. He was young, looked fit and had the most amazing hair Roxas had ever seen. How did he keep it spiked like that? Did he wash it with lime? "I'm Axel del Roya. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Roxas accepted his handshake and smiled to cover his shock. Only the royal family was entitled to use that surname. But which royal was he? That was open to question, since even distant cousins could use it. But for his purposes a distant cousin might be much better than a close connection. They were all rich, after all.

"Roxas vin Parma." He said smoothly. That surname was fairly meaningless, just the neighbourhood he was born in. It was also the only one he had, since his mother had neglected to obtain a marriage license. But no one would be gauche enough to question it. "I'm afraid you have the advantage of me." Axel chuckled before glancing over the wine menu.

"Hm. What would you recommend?" He asked the sommelier, who had appeared apparently by magic. Roxas smiled to himself as they went over the wine menu a bit. Axel was easy to please and hardly looked at the prices. They picked out a fine pinot grigio. Roxas swirled it in his glass and took a sip, pretending to savour it. In private he actually preferred beer to wine, but his patrons appreciated a more sophisticated appearance. "I'm the King's youngest son." Axel said quietly when the sommelier was gone. "You've probably heard of me."

"Only slightly." Roxas said soothingly, seeing the tension in Axel's hands, gripping the stem of his wine glass. Truthfully, he had heard more than a few rumours. The Kings first wife had died of a nasty wasting disease. Royals and nobles didn't die as much of diseases as commoners, simply because they were healthier, but they were far from immune. No one had really had much good to say about her, but they'd had even less to say about the King's second wife. A minor noble from far off Zagur, her antecedents were shaky to say the least. And as for personality, well, she had none. She was mostly kept sequestered. Her son hadn't been sent to Sona Ava, as all royals should be. Instead he'd been sent to a private monastic school. That had started tongues wagging but they weren't sure which way to wag. Everything from theories about the King to speculation about the boy had abounded. "Truly, I know almost nothing about the Royal family." That was true enough. Roxas did not follow the trashy broadsides and the more respectable newspapers did not repeat anything embarrassing to the King. Axel smiled, and Roxas noticed he had odd marks on his cheeks. Were they tattoos? But they reflected the light of the candles. They looked more like black diamonds or chips of obsidian.

"Then you must be one of the few in the city!" He joked. Roxas smiled to himself as he took another sip of the wine. He could tell he had said the right thing. Conversation turned to lighter things then and Roxas responded with a gentle flirtatiousness to Axel's gallant overtures. There was a rhythm to this sort of thing and neither of them would get to the point too quickly. Axel was much younger than his usual admirers, but that only meant they had more in common. Roxas didn't have to feign interest as the redhead talked about the books he'd read and the plays he'd seen. He'd read some of the same.

The main course arrived and Roxas looked down at his plate, surprised to see that his torchon of foie gras had vanished. He couldn't remember what it had tasted like, and that was truly a pity. The main for him was bouillabaisse of fish and shrimp, light but filling. For Axel there was a steak and truffled potatoes. His steak was so rare it oozed all over the plate and Roxas looked away, faintly nauseated. Many of the dancers had sophisticated tastes but the one thing he could not abide was raw meat. No tartare would ever pass his lips.

"I have a proposition for you." Axel said seriously and Roxas nodded gravely, the steak forgotten. Now he would ask – "It's a bit out of the ordinary." Roxas blinked at that. What could be out of the ordinary about such an arrangement? "I am shortly going to be leaving for Madsen. I would like for you to come with me."

"What!" Roxas stared at him, dumbfounded and appalled. Madsen was a city, and a fairly large one. It squatted on the coast and was a great trade centre for the land. It was also a hideous, industrial monstrosity and considered quite uncouth. "You think I will give up my dance for you?" Roxas allowed his indignation to show in his voice. He'd had patrons who had expected that before, and he'd shed them as quickly as he could. As painful and difficult as dancing could be, it was his life. He would not give it up even for a prince. "You must be mad!" Axel shook his head and made a calming gesture.

"Of course not. I know how much the ballet means to you. I'm proposing to take the ballet with us." Roxas frowned, not understanding and Axel smiled. "I'm thinking of setting up a theatre in Madsen. All they have right now is the occasional travelling pantomime." Roxas nodded. The pantomime's were looked down on as lowbrow entertainment but he really quite enjoyed them. "There's a flourishing middle class there, you know. A theatre run by the King's son might be quite the thing."

"Do you know anything about running a theatre?" Roxas said sceptically. "And have you spoken to anyone else about this venture?" If not, he was not going to get involved. There were too many parts to running a theatre.

"Of course. Castiana vin Alta has agreed to create the play." That gave Roxas pause. Castiana was not the greatest of playwrights but she was not bad at all. Mostly neglected due to her sex, this might be a great opportunity for her. "And Master Tasrano Vellachino has agreed to do the choreography." That was even more telling. Vellachino was one of the greats when it came to creating beautiful dance routines. Roxas had learned many of his dances.

"I cannot go until the season is over." Roxas said firmly. He had a contract with the ballet and he would not break it. If he did, he would have to pay back all his wages, including the ones he'd earned until now. Not to mention the damage to his reputation… it was never wise to burn bridges. Axel shrugged, unconcerned.

"The theatre will not be built until then. And I managed to convince my father to delay my departure until after the season." There was a strange pain in his eyes at that and Roxas wondered if the rumors of the King's disposition were true. Was he truly a tyrant to his wife and family? He was certainly a tyrant to the rest of the Kingdom, but they were used to that. "So… would you be interested?" Axel's voice turned soft and vulnerable. Something about it tugged on Roxas' heartstrings. "I would like a companion in this… exile." Roxas tried hard to think.

"I will need a contract." He finally said. He would not go haring after the prince on nothing but a promise. That was a good way to be left in a foreign city without any money. There was a flicker of hurt in the redhead's eyes, but he nodded. "As for being your companion…" Roxas gently took Axel's hand, running a thumb over his palm in a practiced, seductive gesture. "I would be honoured, my prince." He murmured, gazing at Axel through lowered eyelashes.

How peculiar that the words felt true.

* * *

><p>Axel bade Roxas goodnight, paying for his cab ride home. He made a mental note to himself to get the blonde a handsome gift soon, and see about paying his rent. Roxas hadn't brought it up, of course, but he knew what was expected of a patron.<p>

_Lessons learned at my father's knee._ His lips twisted in an ironic smile as the private royal carriage came to fetch him. The King often patronized the ballet with women in mind. They seldom lasted very long, but they did get handsome gifts out of it. Axel knew of one sparkling girl who had been given an entire flat.

Axel gazed over the streets and thought, ignoring the jolting of the carriage. He was quite hungry. The restaurant had tried to accommodate him and the steak had been rare enough, but it had been too small. He would have to eat another when he got home, but that would be no difficulty. The royal chefs were accustomed to late risers and midnight meals. The image of Roxas rose in his mind and Axel almost wished he'd gone with the blonde. Roxas had offered but… he was too hungry. Axel was wary of his control snapping. He knew what might happen.

Drawing a cigarette out of a tortoiseshell case, he lit it with a snap of his fingers. Casual displays of magic like that were getting him sent away. Nevermind that any mage could do the same with the tiniest cantrip. The fact that he needed no such aide made him too perilous. Axel wasn't particularly bothered, however. In fact, he'd been deliberately shoving his powers in his father's face for some time. He wanted to get away.

"Madsen." He rolled the name in his mouth and smiled. To most of his family, it was a forsaken backwater. To him, it was pregnant with possibilities. The people of a shabby industrial city would be dazzled by the presence of royalty. He could finally have his own life, unfettered by his father and the King's wizard. Of course, they would still be watching, but Axel planned to be a good little boy. He would behave himself until they got bored and went back to their own affairs. Maybe he would stay good then too. Why not? It wasn't like he enjoyed frightening people. Well, maybe he did. But just a bit. And he could do that with illusions and stage tricks. He had some grand plans for this ballet. For starters, it was not going to be a typical ballet production. He would have to mention that to Roxas next time they spoke. The blonde might object although Axel didn't expect he would. He was young, not set in his traces like an ancient turtle.

"Roxas." Axel caressed the boy's name, remembering big beautiful blue eyes and lovely golden hair. He sat back in the chair and dreamed about what they would do together, when the time came. And if some of his dreams ventured into things that would likely make Roxas blanch, well, they were only dreams.

He couldn't help having a dark side. It was bred into his bones.


	2. Madsen

Axel grimaced to himself as he rammed his shades into place with unnecessary force. The silvery metal groaned but held, and he desisted from abusing them further, worried that they might really break. They cost enough to buy a small cafe, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that the lenses were custom made and would take weeks to replace. There was no need to make his journey more miserable than it had to be.

_I hate daylight travel._ Axel groused to himself then pasted on a smile as Roxas took his arm, looking around curiously. I hate daylight, period. The light of the sun hurt his eyes and made his skin feel oddly itchy. It was only a nuisance... he didn't sunburn and certainly didn't melt... but he hated the sensation and preferred to live a mostly nocturnal existance. Boarding school had been a bit of a trial although his full sensitivity had come on with puberty.

To Roxas, though, the train was a joy. Axel's lips curved as he watched the dancer settle into plush chair with a sigh and look out the window alertly. They were in a private car, suitable to Axel's station, and all the luxuries available in a train were at their fingertips. Which wasn't that much, really. A good assortment of refreshments and snacks as well as a bell to summon an aide who would be more than happy to brew them fresh coffee. Axel sighed as his stomach churned and looked through the refreshments for something he could eat. He quickly found a pastrami sandwich and took it apart, eating nothing but the meat and a few bites of bread as Roxas watched with a small frown.

Axel knew the blonde didn't care for his eating habits, which was fair enough. Axel didn't care for them himself. But he had no choice. Like his sensitivity to light, it had come on with puberty, and it had taken some time for the monks to figure out the cause of his constant illnesses. He hadn't been much help, either, since he liked the taste of fruits, vegetables and grains. He just couldn't take them in properly anymore. So he restricted himself to meat, the rarer the better.

The pastrami wasn't rare but it was fatty, which helped. A few bites of bread added some flavor and Axel indulged himself before sweeping away the remains. Roxas sighed but said nothing, taking a sandwich of his own to eat.

"I cannot wait to see Madsen. Who is going to be the female lead?" Roxas asked as he bit into his egg and watercress sandwich. Axel smiled, leaning back in his chair. They were comfortable enough to sleep in and could tilt back for just that activity.

"We've actually been having a slight problem with that." Axel admitted and Roxas tilted his head curiously. The blonde wasn't at all alarmed, but then, the fickleness of dancers and actresses was proverbial. "We wanted to get Tana del Rio, but she backed out at the last minute. Something about signing a contract with Versace. So right now we're trying to get Mina Vodana."

"She's very good." Roxas said neutrally but Axel caught the reserve behind it and quirked an eyebrow. "I've heard she can be... a touch difficult." He said diplomatically and Axel chuckled.

"Yes, I know. But our great choreographer recommended her, so he can deal with her. I'm sure he'll be excellent at it." Axel shrugged and Roxas nodded. Master Tasrano would have to work most closely with the dancers. Although it wouldn't save the rest of them from the bite of nasty wit.

"Well, she is an excellent dancer." Roxas said, resigned to the necessity. "Where are we?" They were passing through a town, or perhaps more of a suburb. Axel looked out at it thoughtfully.

"I'm not sure. It looks like a rather expensive suburb." It was easy to tell, the pools and near mansions gave it away. "Relax. This is going to take some time." It was going to be a several day trip in fact. Roxas laughed and shook his head.

"But I'm enjoying it!" He looked back out the window with a smile and Axel closed his eyes, trying to relax. He enjoyed Roxas' joy but... this was going to be a long trip.

* * *

><p>Several days later.<p>

Roxas adjusted his watch before glancing at Axel. The redhead was asleep, dozing fitfully in his seat. The redhead seemed to find the travel unpleasant, although Roxas was at a loss as to why. The chairs were plush and the views were excellent. Shrugging it away, he glanced at his watch and a small smile crossed his lips.

The watch was new. Axel had graced him with the gift after an intense round of lovemaking. It had come with many endearments, which Roxas did not necessarily believe, but the quality of the watch was fine. Axel had captured his taste perfectly. Delicate enough to suit his fine-boned wrists, but heavy enough to be masculine, the surface was burnished gold. The face was plain porcelaine, with painted gold numbers. The only gems were two tiny diamonds set in each of the hands. The real beauty of it, though, was the back. Roxas knew that if he took off the watch and turned it over he would find a panel of clear rock crystal and beneath that, the gears of the clock. It was fascinating to watch them tick away and he'd immediately set about repaying the redhead.

Not that it was a chore. Roxas thought whimsically. Really, Axel was excellent in the arts of love. He hadn't been this fulfilled physically since his very first lover, a young painter. Most of his patrons just didn't have the stamina to satisfy him. Roxas hoped this would last a long time.

The only thing that bothered him was Axel's eating habits. Roxas sighed to think about it. It was a silly thing to worry about but nevertheless, it got on his nerves. This train ride had only highlighted it. For breakfast Axel ate salt cod, kippers and blood sausage. For lunch, he ate the meat of the sandwiches and perhaps a bite of bread. Supper on the train could vary but for him it was always steak, so rare it was almost ready to get off the plate. Roxas knew meat was good for a person. In the tenements of the working poor, like Roxas had grown up in, people would save their coins to afford a nice little chicken or a saddle of beef. Eating meat every day was a mark of the rich and everyone aspired to it. But not even the rich ate nothing but meat. Surely that was unhealthy! Roxas hesitated and finally decided he would have to mention it, probably sooner rather than later.

Roxas looked out the window and peered forward. There were houses now. That was not unusual, they'd passed through many towns on this trip. The train had even stopped overnight in one, which had been quite pleasant. But this seemed larger. In fact, was that...?

"Axel!" Roxas poked the redhead in the knee. The young royal grumbled but did not wake. "I think we're in Madsen!"

"Ungh?" Axel rolled his head although Roxas could not see his eyes behind those odd glasses. "Already?" Axel turned his head to look out the window, wincing and rubbing his forehead. "Ah, I believe we are." He sounded quite relieved at the thought. "Although it will still be an hour or two before we make the station."

"Ah." Roxas settled back in his cushions and gazed out the window. Axel did as well, matching his curiosity. "Look! Is that a bell tower?" Roxas pointed to a distinguishing feature and Axel tilted his head.

"I believe it is. Or maybe a relay station." Was Axel's opinion. Roxas pursed his lips and shook his head. He was certain it was a bell tower. "You're probably right though. More bell towers about than stations!"

"Truly." Roxas agreed. "What do you think that building is?" They amused themselves for a good bit of time playing a guessing game about the more interesting buildings they saw. As they drew further into the centre of town there were more manufactories and Axel's guesses about what they made were quite interesting. "I'm fairly sure glass dildos are made by hand." Roxas said mildly at one outrageous suggestion, making Axel laugh. "Not in a manufactory. Can you imagine if an edge wasn't smoothed quite enough?"

"Oh gods!" Axel clutched himself with an expression of mock horror and Roxas snickered. "Not that I would use such a thing, of course."

"Of course." Roxas agreed blandly. "Now that place there... perhaps they make macrame owls?" Axel blinked at that.

"What use is a macrame owl?" He asked, intrigued, and Roxas shrugged.

"I've no idea but my mother's kitchen was full of them." Roxas regreted saying it as Axel gave him a curious look. One subject he'd avoided until now was his family.

"Your mother?" Axel asked and Roxas sighed to himself. He'd walked right into it. "What was she like?"

"She was very nice. Boring and maternal." Roxas said briefly. "Until she killed my step-father with a fireplace poker for having an affair with the next door neighbor." Axel looked startled and Roxas shrugged. "I was very young. I don't remember much of them." That was a lie. He could remember the screams of rage and the sound of the door splintering as the constables knocked it down to take her a way, kicking and fighting. Axel swallowed and blinked.

"I see. Did you go to live with relatives?" Axel didn't ask about his real father, which was a bit of a relief. Roxas knew it could be one of three different men, and none of them had shown interest in his life.

"Alas, no. My step-father's relatives were not interested or obligated, and my mother had no family. I was fortunate, however. The Little Brothers Orphanage had a few openings when the constables brought me in." Roxas knew he was very fortunate indeed. The Little Brothers and Little Sisters were run by monks and nuns, respectively. Most orphanages were run by the state and they were, by and large, death camps. Underfunded and stricken with disease, babies died by the scores. Older children were expected to 'earn their keep' in dangerous and dead-end professions like chimney sweeps and kitchen scullions. The Little Brothers was quite different. They took in only the number of orphans they could handle but gave them excellent care. Babies were fed goats' milk and cared for, while the older children had lessons and chores. Discipline could be harsh but was usually fair, and Roxas knew how lucky he'd been to be taken there. "When I was only eight, the ballet was doing a Christmas production and wanted a few cherubs." Roxas smiled wryly as Axel chuckled. "You can see how I discovered the stage!"

"I can imagine. You would make an excellent angel." Axel's eyes gleamed with a speculative light. "I wonder if we could do something with that?" Roxas sighed to himself. He might make a pretty angel but he hated wearing glitter and bulky, feathery wings.

"Perhaps. Well, now you know about my family. What about yours?" Roxas asked. He knew it wasn't a very kind question, but Axel had asked him, after all. The young royal winced, then sighed. Roxas met sad green eyes but did not back down from his query.

"Well... if you really want to know, my mother should have been barren. My birth was a mistake." Axel said and Roxas blinked. Had someone actually said that to him? "Father had me sent to a religious boarding school as soon as he could, but I'm sure you know about that."

"A little." Roxas admitted. "What is it like, being Royalty?" Perhaps this whole line of questioning had been a mistake, but he was quite curious. Axel seemed to relax a bit at the new question.

"Oh, it's fine. For me at least. Things can be a bit tense for my brothers, given the uncertainty of the succession." Roxas nodded at that. The King decided which son would be his heir, so it was not always the firstborn. Many Kings let their sons know which of them would inherit, but not this one. Rumor had it he pitted his sons against each other in vicious contests to prove who was entitled to wear the crown. "I was never in the running so I was mostly able to stay apart from the plots." Axel's tone was cheerful. "And it certainly is wonderful, being able to buy whatever I want!"

"I envy you that!" Roxas said with a laugh. Then the train ground to a halt with a series of jerks. "We must be at the station." He hopped to his feet and Axel followed, settling his glasses more firmly in place. The redhead's stomach growled and Roxas shot him a startled look. Axel smiled sheepishly. "You're hungry again?" Axel seemed to eat twice as much as any person Roxas knew. The redhead shrugged.

"I can't help it, I'm a furnace. But nevermind. I can eat when we reach our rooms. I've arranged for a suite in the best hotel in town." Roxas frowned slightly at that, then nodded. He would want a place of his own as soon as possible, but they had already discussed that. Living with a patron was not something Roxas cared for. His affections were a business transaction, but many seemed to lose sight of that when they shared a home. Axel led the way out of the train, stepping briskly onto the station. There was a man holding a piece of cardboard with his name on it and they were quickly ushured into a lovely coach, pulled by two heavy but beautiful horses. Roxas settled against the horsehair upholstery and wondered what the inn would be like. What was the best a city like Madsen could do?

As it turned out, the best was fairly decent. It was not quite as nice as Roxas' flat but there was still a good degree of comfort. Nice chairs, pleasant enough wallpaper and an unlit fireplace for warmth. There was also a balcony, although the view from it was limited to a rather sad garden and a stone wall. Axel pulled a bellcord and a servant arrived quickly to take his order. Roxas began putting his clothing away, frowning slightly as he heard the redhead order three steaks, as raw as possible. Three?

"Axel..." Roxas hesitated, then decided to tackle the issue. It wasn't the wisest course for a young ballerina, risking the anger of a patron, but it truly bothered him. "You seem to eat nothing but meat. Is that healthy?" He put anxiety in his voice, trying to seem earnest and concerned. Axel smiled and shook his head, stepping close to Roxas and gently touching his shoulder.

"It's a medical condition. I can't digest most anything but meat." He explained and Roxas blinked. He'd never heard of such a thing before. "It needs to be raw and preferably fatty. Like what the natives in the far north eat." Roxas nodded slowly. He knew very little of such remote places, but he recalled from his schooling that the natives of the far north often survived on nothing but seal, fish and whale fat. Supposedly they were quite healthy.

"Ah. I had wondered." Roxas was relieved to have that out of the way, and even more relieved by Axel's explanation. "When will I meet Madam Castiana and Master Tasrano?" He didn't ask about Mina. She could fall down a hole for all he cared. Axel grimaced as his stomach growled again before answering.

"Tomorrow. For tonight, I need to eat and rest. I'll send messangers to them to arrange a meeting." Roxas nodded, satisfied, and went back to his unpacking. The steaks arrived and Axel tore into them ravenous. Roxas considered their clothes for a moment, then began unpacking Axel's as well. The redhead wouldn't mind and he probably wouldn't do it himself. He was too accustomed to having servants, and there was a sad lack of those at the moment. Although he was sure that would soon be rectified.

Axel was quite nice but he was also the King's son. He would not want to get by without servants for long.

* * *

><p>The next day dawned cloudy, with pallid sunlight filtered through the puffy tufts filling the sky. Roxas stretched languidly, enjoying the feel of warm cotton blankets and the greater heat of Axel beside him.<p>

As a dancer, he preferred to make a slow start to his day. His day did not begin until around eleven, with warm ups. Then rehersals until perhaps five, five thirty. Then there was time to apply makeup, put on costumes and take a quick bite to eat and drink. After that was the performance. If there was no performance, the rehersal would continue until perhaps six thirty, then a break for lunch and then more rehersals. Every day he worked until perhaps ten at night. Late night was his time to himself, the time he spent with patrons like Axel. That was one way to differentiate poseurs from genuine patrons... a poseur often did not know that he could never meet anyone for lunch! No, a genuine patron always knew that he was available for a late supper. Many of the chop houses and restaurants near the ballet stayed open to midnight, catering to the dancers and their patrons.

But would there be many such restaurants in Madsen? Roxas frowned slightly to himself at the thought. Perhaps not. Well, if that was so some would spring up soon enough. It was a niche someone always hurried to fill. Yawning, he sat up and pulled on a robe before going to pull the cord. A servant arrived with alacrity and Roxas smiled to himself. No doubt the hotel had assigned someone to wait on them constantly. Their fortunes could be on the unprise, now that they were hosting a prince!

"Could we have some breakfast?" Roxas asked politely. "Eggs, bacon, toast, as well as plenty of sausage and kippers." He hesitated then added. "And perhaps a raw steak as well for the prince?" It was an odd request but Roxas thought the steaks were best for Axel. He would certainly have no trouble finishing it off. The servant, a young man in blue and gold livery, bobbed a bow. It wasn't a very good bow, Roxas noticed, but he'd likely had very little practice.

"Yes m'lord." Roxas considered correcting him but let it slide. He quickly took a shower, enjoying the lukewarm water, then dressed. Axel was still asleep when the food arrived but twitched at the smell. Roxas smiled and followed an impish impulse, picking up a piece of bacon and waiving it under his nose.

"Mmmm..." Axel blinked, rousing from his slumber at the scent of crispy bacon and hot fat. "What?" Roxas smiled and waived the bacon in front of his face, laughing as Axel's eyes crossed to follow it. "Oh! You ordered breakfast?" Axel sat up with a yawn and Roxas nodded.

"Yes. Plenty of meat, just the way you like it." Roxas said easily. Now that he knew it was a condition, it was much easier to accept Axel's eating habits. "Even a steak!" Axel's eyes brightened and he laughed.

"How thoughtful!" They both tucked in with good appetite. Roxas did not believe in starving himself, although some of the female dancers did so they could indulge in feasts with their patrons. But Roxas had never had any issues with weight, not surprising given his intense dedication to his art. Axel ate an egg, to his surprise. "You can eat those?"

"They're animal products so yes, somewhat. I have to be careful though." Axel smiled. "Or I feel ill and get terrible farts." Roxas choked at that image and laughed.

"Let us avoid that!" That was amusing although Roxas could imagine what it would feel like. He'd had a similar bout of distress once, when he'd had some bad shellfish. That had been unpleasant. "When are we going out?" He asked and Axel looked over the breakfast cart. He lifted up his plate and pulled out a small note, making Roxas blink.

"I thought they would deliver the reply with breakfast." Axel broke open the envelope and quickly perused the message. "They'll meet us in a private room at the hotel restaurant. Excellent. I wonder where they're staying?" He shrugged to himself and set the note down. "Around three. It should be perfect for an afternoon tea." Roxas nodded. Tea was clearly indicated. "Until then, would you like to...?" Axel smiled and Roxas snorted before smiling back.

"You're insatiable!" But the thought had a great deal of appeal. They had been two tired last night to engage in any such thing. "When we're done breakfast." He was really quite hungry and the eggs were excellent.

"Of course." Axel agreed as he started on his steak. They ate in silence for a time, savoring the food. Then they made love, slow and lazy yet very intense. Roxas could taste the blood on Axel's tongue but it did not repulse him. Rather the reverse. It was strange, but it was typical of Axel. Afterwards they basked in the afterglow for a while before Axel stirred with a sigh. "I should take a shower."

"Of course." Roxas agreed and set about getting cleaned up and dressed again as Axel showered. Soon they were both ready for the meeting and Roxas paused to admire the redhead's clothing. "That looks wonderful on you." Axel was wearing a dark brown suit, unornamented but made of the finest cloth. It was elegantly cut and showed off the redhead's slim hips and excellent legs.

"You look wonderful as well." Axel said and Roxas glanced over his own clothing. He was wearing a light green silk shirt, edged with embroidered ribbons and a warm brown vest with matching pants. The quality wasn't as good as Axel's garb but it was nice, and his watch added the perfect touch.

"Thank you." Roxas took Axel's arm as they left the room and went downstairs to the private room. There was already tea waiting for them and Roxas lifted an eyebrow at the rather strange arrangement for the teapot. It was standing on a ceramic stand and he lifted it up curiously to find a small burner beneath. "Ah." That was actually rather clever and explained how it had been set up ahead of time. Roxas poured himself a cup of tea, adding milk and sugar. Axel took took a cup and they both waited patiently for their companions to arrive.

Castiana arrived first and Roxas looked her over curiously. He'd never met her before, but he knew of her reputation. It was colorful and not entirely favorable, but there was nothing colorful about the middle-aged woman in front of him. She looked like she had dressed in the dark. Her frothy pink blouse went poorly with her dark blue corset and flutter, light green and gold skirts. For herself, Castiana was a dishwater blonde who looked like she had partied hard in her youth. Her looks were fading but there was still a hint of beauty and when Axel bent over her hand, a mischievous smile crossed her face and Roxas could see the kind of woman she had been and likely still was. Odd looking or not, she would be interesting company at a party. Master Tasriano, when he arrived, was quite different. A young man who reminded Roxas of a poet, he was dreamy and lost in his own world. His fashion sense was much better than Castiana's, however, and Roxas admired his good looks. He was almost too pretty, with a soft beauty and big brown eyes. His hair was light brown and kept at an unfashionably long length.

"I'm pleased to meet you both. Would you like some sandwiches?" Castiana declined, taking a cup of tea instead but Tasriano dug in. Axel smiled, eyes twinkling. "How has the work been going?"

"Excellent!" Madame Castiana had a warm, vibrant voice and Master Tasriano nodded with a rather vapid smile. "I think you'll like what we've done so far. Would you like to see?"

"Certainly." Axel said courteously and quickly put out a hand as she slid a sheaf of papers across the table, stopping them from sliding off. "Hmm." Roxas peeked around him and blinked as he saw the words. They were not written in the classical tongue, which was odd. Almost all operas and ballets were done in the ancient language.

"We're not doing this in the classical speech?" He asked and they all looked at him. Axel shook his head.

"No, it's my idea. We're going to try to make the ballet more approachable to the masses." Axel sounded enthusiastic but Roxas pursed his lips. This was the first anyone had mentioned this to him! "Madsen isn't a city known for appreciating the fine arts. I'm afraid if we did it in the classical method, no one would come." That made him frown but he had to admit Axel had a point. Even avid ballet watchers sometimes had issues with the old tongue. Still.

"You should have mentioned that." He wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to be associated with something so new. Axel gave him a naughty grin and Roxas sighed. It was too late now, and besides, it shouldn't impact his reputation. Much. "Very well. What is the plot?" As it turned out, they were doing a take on a classic fairy tale. Mina would be playing a beautiful princess, lured into fairy land. Roxas would be her loyal servant, deeply in love with her. He would have to follow her into fairy land and defeat the illusions of the fairies to find her and take her away. Axel was going to be playing the unseelie illusion master bedeviling him. "You are going to be part of the ballet?" That unnerved Roxas. Was Axel any good at all or did he just have dreams? But Axel laughed and spread his hands and Roxas stared as a flame appeared in them, dancing casting a bright light.

"I'm an excellent illusionist." He assured the blonde and Roxas bit his lip before nodding. Madame Castiana and Master Tasriano did not seem at all worried, which was comforting. If they were writing the script with Axel's abilities in mind, surely they knew what those abilities were. The redhead had probably already demonstrated them, back in the capital. "This does seem to be good. Master Tasriano, when did you want to start working with Roxas?"

"Oh, tomorrow. We should get started as soon as we can although Mina won't be here for another week." He said promptly and Roxas sighed to himself. It would be good to be practicing again but he was not looking forward to seeing Mina. He had a feeling she would be trouble.

He would just have to see.


End file.
